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Friday, 13 March 2015

How dying can bring time {Mundane Faithfulness}

"Today I'm fading, I can see it in the tears in his eyes. There is going to be grace for this. Even if it costed 20 minutes to write. May we continue to enjoy each moment. Will you do the same?"

Kara Tippetts

I have been following, for only a short time, this amazing woman.Kara Tippetts is dying.She has cancer, and it's taking over her body, and her life is coming to an end.She's soon leaving this earth - her hospice nurse has told them her time is short. Every time I read a post, something amazing happens. God speaks to me. Shall I tell you why?It's this simple.She LIVES this verse."For to me to live is CHRIST, and to die is gain".This lady desires to live out each remaining moment for her Saviour. She does this by sharing her journey with others, and challenging them to think and ask questions about their lives, every time she writes to us.Undoubtedly, this is a heartbreaking journey. God has created us all to be part of family and community. It's all we know, here on this earth - bound by time, and not understanding eternity. Family and friendship is a gift from our Creator. These things are PRECIOUS. What she does is to remind people to take every moment and savour it. To live it fully. To cherish those we care about. Kara has givven me perspective. She has made me slow down. To stop, in fact. Stop trying to DO, and to instead BE. Be in the moment. Be in the place where we enjoy, apprecite and soak up the beauty, joy and precious moments that God has GIFTED to us. We aren't entitled to any of it, and in a moment - as swiftly as a beautiful dandelion clock can be lifted off in the wind and sail away - our life can end, or those we hold dear can be gone.I don't want to live a life of regrets. I don't want a life that, when it comes to its end, I say "If only I...."I doubt I will ever regret hugging my children whenever I can.I doubt I will ever regret making fun moments instead of drudgery and conflict.I doubt I will ever regret stopping the mundane and eternally insignificant, to create character building and relationship strengthening moments with my children.I doubt I will ever regret putting down the job I am doing and giving my husband a hug.I doubt I will ever regret pausing a blog posts to hug my two-year-old-who-gets-more-grown-up-by-the-minute, and read him a story.So many things that can easily be left, because you think there's something more important to do. So many chances to live life fully, instead.I think of the phrase "Redeeming the time".We don't want to waste time, when we could be using it more wisely. Most importantly, sharing the gospel with those we know - telling them they are sinners who need to be saved, and that Christ is ready, willing and able to save if they but confess their sin and seek Him as Saviour. Then, we must cherish the moments with our family. Taking every opportunity to love, teach, encourage and bless those we walk through life alongside. Above all else, honouring God, in all we think, say and do. Every fibre of our being seeking first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. I see Kara, living out her final moments, and that is what she is doing. Reaching out and touching the lives of others, and loving those closest to her, with every fibre of her being.Oh, how I want to experience the closeness of Christ, as she does. His presence is so very real to her, and her faith so clear and strong. I am SO thankful that God brought her into my life, so I could be challenged to love better and live more faithfully.Please pray for this sweet lady, and her family, as she gets ever nearer to being pain-free and in the presence of her precious Saviour.

"Maybe I’m on a journey, and the journey is more beautiful than any of us can comprehend. And if we did understand, we would hold very loosely to one another because I’m going to be with Jesus. There is grace that will seep into all the cracks and pained places when we don’t understand. In the places we don’t understand we get to seek. And how lovely is one seeking truth. Stunning."

Kara Tippetts

I pray the Lord will grant me many truth-seeking moments, so that I can be stunned by God's greatness, as she has.